Stock fountain



Nov. 22, 192;??

G. H. BRECHTBILL s'rocx FOUNTAIN Filed D eo, 22. 1926 INVENTOR v ATTORNEY WITN SES Patented Nov. 22, i227.'

narran stares iraient GUY H. Banca-imitan, on MAnsnaLLTown, iowa, Assis-Non To CENTRAL rouunn COMPANY, or Maasnnnnrotvn, iowa,` AlconronnTrou' or iowa.

sTocK FOUNTAIN.

Application led December 22.1926. Serial No. 156,485.

y The present invention is concerned with the provision of a fountain adapted to be used by all classes of livestock, and provided with a heating means for prevent-ing the water from freezing in cold weather.

. An object of the invention is to provide a stock fountain of this character to which water is admitted from a float control valve, the valve and its associated parts being pro tected against interference by an accumulation of sediment in the fountain trough.

Other objects ofthe invention are `to Vpro-` vide a heated fountain in which a pagrt of the heat utilized is directed about the valve and its associated parts to prevent vany danger ot' the valvei'reezing.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a device of this character equipped with a self-cleaning valve of a type in whichpositive closing is assured, and in which there is no danger of a continuous trickle of water causing overilow of the trough.

Still other objects of the invention are to provide a stock fountain of simple, practical `construct-ion which will be rugged, durable and eilicient in use,and which is well suited to the requirements of economical manufacture. f

lVit-h the above notediand 'other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction `and combinations and arrangements of parts,` as will'be more fully hereinafter set .forth and pointed out in Vthe claim. The invention may be more fully understood from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a stock fountain embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view therethrough on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

ln the drawings I have shown an open topped container which may be of any appropriate shape, but which has been illustrated as of generally oval shape including a side wall portion l0, and a base portion 11. Preferably' the wall portion 10 seats on the edge of the base and is centered by an upwardly projecting flange 12 cast integral with the base. 4 The wall 16 may be secured in positionby bolting or otherwise securing it at 13 to lugs 14: projecting upwardly treni the base. Thebinside upper edges of walls 10 4are grooved as at 15 to provideya seat for the lip 16 of a trough'17.` This `trough seatingin the groove 15,-depends into the receptacle 10 and denes with the bottom and side wall ot the receptacle, va

chamber 18 in which aheating unit may be mounted. The heating unit may be ofany convenient or conventional type andhasybeen illustrated as an oil burner 19 mounted upon against the outerfaceof the boss, and yby a valve body 26 screwed on tothe inner end oi A y,

the pipe and abutting the inner facefojf `the -casting 22. The valve body or casing26 isin effect, supported by the inner end'of `'the pipe,"and cooperates with-.thenut 25-to retain the4 pipe in proper position- `The water from the pipe 24 enters a charn ber 27 in the lower end of the valve casing 26 and is adapted to iow upwardly past a spring `pressed valve V.2e` into a discharge spout29, delivering into the trough 17. The

valve 28 is normallyv held in seated position by acoiled expansion spring 30 encircling the valve stem and pocketed in a recess in the top. of the casing26.V `The spring jis backed against the bottom of the pocket 3l and acts on a bifurcated collar 32 carried by the upper end of the valve stem. A lever 33 is pivoted at one end to the top of the valve casing 26 by a pin 311, and a float valve 35 is pivotally hung from the free end of the lever by an arm 36. Collar 32 straddles the lever 33 .near the pivoted end of the latter and is pivotally connected thereto as by a pin 37.

A hood l() conceals and protects the valve and ioat mechanism. This hood is received at one .end in an arcuate notch 41 formed 0n the inner face of the upper portion o-the casting 22. Depending apron portions 42 of the hood extend downwardly below the water level in the trough 17 and prevent foreign matter on the surface of the watei` from reaching the float 35. Downward movement of this float is limited byV a raised portion t3 ofthe trough bottoni.; .so that the float can never rest on any slime or sediment which may collect in the bottom of the trough.

The side of the hood opposite the casting 22 is formedwi'th a depending flanged portion 43 overlying the outer face of the container 10 and provided with a lug 44 adapted to enter between a pair of lugs 45 integral with the upper edge of a closure plate 46 of an opening 47 providing access to the heating compartment of the fountain. Door 46 is retained at its lower edge between the side wall 10 and upstanding brackets 48 integral with the base plate 11. A pin or other securing device 49 passed through aligned openings in the lugs 44 and 45 secures both the closure plate 46 and the hood V40 against accidental removal.

Preferably the lower end of the valve body'26 'isfaccommodated in an offset portion 50 of the trough Wall, so that it is eX- posed to the direct heat of the heating element 19.' The' trough is also shaped to provide a flue 51 at its opposite side through which escaping gases and products of combustion may pass.

Sufficient air to support combustion is assured by the provision of air inlets 52 in the closure plate 46, these inlets being backed by a spaced baffle plate 53 secured to the inner face of the closure plate. The baffle plate'prevents the lamp from being extinguished by the Wind.

The'op'eration of the device is substantially as follows.l The level of the water in the trough is regulated by the action of the float which controls the valve 28. It is noted that the valve is so arranged that not only the pressure of the water behind it, but also the spring 30' tend to hold it in closed position. Coupled with this is the action of the oat itself when the trough is filled tothe desired level.

As the Water level is lowered in the trough, float 35 drops, depressing the spring 30 and positively opening the valve 28 to permit additional Water to llow into the trough.

The heating element which may if desired be bodily removed and replaced through the top 47 upon removal of the closure plate 4G serves to maintain the contents of the trough at a temperature above freezing. The valve is prevented from frezing partially by the direct action of the hot air from the heating chamber and partially by the fact that the products of combustion escaping up the flue 5l are led across under the dome, over the valve mechanism and escape through vents (30 in the casting 22.

All of the parts of the fountain may be conveniently removed, cleaned and replaced if desired, and the assembly of the devioeis an extremly simple matter.

Obviously numerous changes and alterations might be made in the general form and arrangement of the parts described W1thout departing from the invention. Hence I do not wish to limit myself to the details set i forth, but shall consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall Within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A stock fountain including an open topped receptacle in the bottom of which a heating unit is adapted to be disposed, a trough mounted in the receptacle and comprising `a cover therefor, a valve controlled discharge.y

pipe delivering Water to the trough, a float controlling the valve, a hood extending transversely over the trough and housing the fioat and valve, a door in the receptacle permitting access to the heating unit, said door and dome overlapping and being secured against accidental displacement by a common securingl device.

GUY H. BRECHTBILL. 

